I watched as they stood poised against one another. Ready to strike at a moments notice, ready to kill if necessary? And for what? A simple statement, heated words, or an unknown purpose? The cause seemed only known two the fighters.

I gently wiped my tears away as the fighters became doubled. Blinking back my heart thundered at the though of loosing the one I loved. Glancing at the women across me, I shudder in sadness. I have cause so much pain, pain for my beloved, my friends, and most of all my leader.

I feel my small frame start to shake as my beloved's hand moves to rest above his sword. Readying for an attack, but not wanting to harm his opponent. I can hardly hear his hiss,

"This battle is not necessary, that it is not!"

I smile a sad smile and close my eyes, knowing that the other will or can't understand. My tears fall once more as I hear the phase of "that it is not" repeats itself in my head. I can't help but whisper,

"It's unavoidable, that it is."

I open my eyes just in enough time to see the smile cross my lovers' lips. Swiftly followed by a cry from the other watcher. Bringing my eyes to my once best friend I watch sadly she calls,

"Please stop this, please?"

And I take that chance to glance at the silent man that was once my leader, friend, and love. Shaking my head I remember it wasn't until my beloved and I had came to be did I realize that my love for my leader was nothing more that a brotherly love. Possibly even a fatherly kind?

Suddenly the flicker of movement catches my eyes as I watch in horror as the battle begins.

~~~~~~~~~

Watching I can barely notice that I can hear my heart beat thunder in my ears. My knees become weak and unstable. I feel myself falling to the ground as the fighters reach one another. My heart threatens to break at the sound of the clash of metal. Opening crying as my leader growls in anger.

I start to pound at the unforgiving ground as I hear the battle. Wanting it to stop, wanting neither fighter harmed. Suddenly my former best friend yells out to me,

“Make them stop Misao.”

Snapping my head to the speaker I cry out my response,

“I don’t know how.”

I watch as anger flickers in her eyes. I shudder again has I watch her watch the fighters. Knowing that she was right, that I was the only one that could stop this and yet fear’s hold on me stopped me from doing anything.

Closing my eyes I tried to think of something, anything that would save two people I loved more than anything. Wanting everything to go back to the way is was. Back to where…

Where Aoshi and I loved one another?

Or back to where I was held tight by my lover after our sweet lovemaking?

The where’s and when’s didn’t matter any more, only the here and now did.

Suddenly I heard I slight cry of pain, and snapped my eyes open and watched in frozen horror. My beloved was down and my leader, no this is not my leader not any more, was ready to deal the final blown. My endless thoughts came to halting stop as I watched as Aoshi raised his kodachi.

My thoughts where of the last words my beloved spoke to me,

“I will love you here and now, or I will love in the next life! It makes no differences to me when or where we are. Our love is true to withstand time itself.”

With that I raised to my feet and ran, wanting only to be close to my beloved. Smiling and crying as I reached my heart’s desire I turned my back to my former love, and whispered,

“It matters not where we love, cause our love is true. So please keep your promise to me.”

With my last word spoke I could feel the kodachi tear into my skin, and somewhere in the flash of thoughts I felt my heart start to bleed.